FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist baseball team was defeated by No. 10 Tufts, 8-5, in a nonconference game at Armstrong-Shelley Field on Wednesday evening.
 
With the loss, the Monarchs drop to 13-12 on the season. Meanwhile, the Jumbos move to 6-0 to start their season.
 
MU got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Pete Wildeboer drew a walk and moved to second after Davis Cass was hit by a pitch. Will May followed with a two-out RBI single that scored Wildeboer, 1-0. Clay Richardson followed with an RBI single of his own before Matthias Carter lined an RBI double to give the Monarchs a 3-0 lead.
 
The Jumbos responded in the following inning with five runs on six hits to take a 5-3 lead. The Green and Gold cut the lead in the bottom of the fifth frame after a two-out double by Brennen Brown put a runner in scoring position. Lucas Scott followed with an RBI double to make the score 5-4.
 
In the top of the sixth inning, Tufts added one run on three hits, but left the bases loaded. The Monarchs threatened again in the seventh when Carter led off with a walk before eventually coming around to score on a single by Tucker Criswell, 6-5. MU almost plated another run in the inning on a fielder's choice by Alex Kachler, but Brown was put out by a diving fielder. The Jumbos tallied two insurance runs in the top of the ninth to leave with an 8-5 victory.
 
Kevin Williams (0-1) was saddled with the loss in his first appearance on the mound this season. He tossed 1.0 inning and allowed four runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout. Sam Berman (ND) started on the mound and threw 1.0 inning without allowing a base runner. In all, the Monarchs used eight pitchers.
 
Matt Rothstein (2-0) earned the win after throwing 1.1 innings of scoreless relief and scattering just two hits. Tim Superko (ND) threw 4.2 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and a pair of walks in the start.
 
MU totaled 11 hits on Wednesday, including Brown, Scott, Cass and May who each recorded a pair of base hits.
 
Methodist returns to action on Friday, March 24, in the first game of a weekend series against N.C. Wesleyan at Armstrong-Shelley Field beginning at 6 pm.
 
 
 
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